In Psalm 78:4-8, Asaph sets an example for all fathers to be teachers when says, “We will not hide them from their children, telling to the generation to come the praises of the Lord, and His strength and His wonderful works that He has done. For He established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which He commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children

Note the gravity and importance of the tone: “He established a testimony in Jacob, He appointed a law in Israel.” He is speaking here of A LAW that needs to be followed. It is an ancient law. However, it is for contemporary use. What is this “law in Israel’ he is referring to? It is the law in Deut. 6:1-9, which commands fathers to teach their children in the way that Deuteronomy 6:1-9 describes.

It is clear from Psalm 78, that from the time of Moses to the time of David, Deuteronomy 6 remained the central manner for the discipleship of the next generation. It is timeless discipleship methodology. Asaph believes that the commands in Deuteronomy 6 are critical.

Training the trainer

A faithful father not only teaches his offspring, but he also has his eye on teaching his son so that he can teach the children yet to be born. This means that he is training a trainer. He is training a leader who will train another leader who is not yet on the scene. Even though his grandchildren are not yet born, he is has an agenda. He is training a father to be a trainer.

Fathers are not only trainers of their children, but they are trainers of trainers. Not only are they delivering the law of God to their sons, but they are training their sons to teach the law as well. This requires two different kinds of teaching: the teaching itself, and the teaching of the teacher to teach.

Generational thinking generates the right activity

In our culture, fathers consider themselves “free” when their children turn eighteen years old. They believe that their child-raising responsibility has ended at this magic age. This is not a biblical idea. Instead of quitting the child-raising responsibility when children enter into adulthood, the Lord reminds fathers that they have only just begun. When their children become adults and have children of their own, they have more responsibility, not less. They don’t need the most prestigious teaching credential. They need the most credible textbook – the Bible.